Truestart

A husband and wife team have launched what they claim is the world’s first caffeine-controlled instant coffee into 40 UK outlets.

TrueStart coffee is guaranteed to contain between 75mg and 115mg of caffeine per heaped teaspoon (2g), which the brand said would help to avoid unexpected highs and crashes caused by the unknown caffeine content of other brands. By contrast, Nescafé says its instant coffee delivers about 65mg of caffeine per 175ml cup - but it depends on the quantity of powder or granules used.

TrueStart is available in a 100g jar (rsp: £5.95) and is currently in 40 outlets, including 13 Tesco NutriCentres. Bristol-based founders Simon and Helena Hills said they aimed to build TrueStart into a global brand and a US launch was in the works, along with additional products. They are targeting further supermarket listings, but the intention is for the product to be situated in stores’ health section, rather than the coffee aisle.

The Hills, who are keen triathletes, developed the product to appeal to athletes at a range of levels who are seeking a fixed caffeine boost before exercise. They said coffee was growing in popularity as part of a trend towards natural caffeinated drinks, but existing coffees could deliver anything between 10mg and 250mg of the stimulant per serving.

Alongside the product, the brand has launched Team TrueStart, a sponsorship initiative involving elite athletes across a number of sports. Many are members of professional teams that TrueStart is sponsoring. The brand has also formed a partnership with triathlon organiser Human Race, and will be present at a number of its events during 2016.

“TrueStart was born from our personal experiences while training for an ironman triathlon,” said Helena Hills. “Coffee became our go-to energy boost, but we were both experiencing varying and unpredictable effects.

“TrueStart ensures you receive the exact amount of caffeine to deliver the physiological benefits and appeals to the growing desire for natural, sugar-free caffeine sources among sports and fitness communities.”

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